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The Miami Stories initiative collects stories about Miami’s past, present, and future. Through this oral history project, HistoryMiami Museum documents life in the Magic City through written stories, video submissions, and audio recordings, which are preserved in the museum’s archive, and shared online and through local media outlets.
HistoryMiami Museum accepts written stories and video submissions on a rolling basis. We welcome written stories between 500-1,000 words and video stories under 5 minutes about life in Miami. We encourage storytellers to submit a photo with their written story. To submit a written story, complete the Miami Stories Submission Form. To submit a video story, click on the video story link.
How did you or your family get to Miami?
When do you feel like a Miamian?
What would you miss if you left Miami?
What makes Miami, Miami?
What do you see for Miami’s future?
In collaboration with the Cuban Heritage Collection at the University of Miami Libraries and as a part of the program El efecto Mariel: Before, During, and After, HistoryMiami Museum is collecting stories related to the Mariel boatlift of 1980. Members of the community are encouraged to share their personal memories, stories, and reflections related to Mariel. Stories will be collected virtually on a rolling basis and a series of prompts give participants ideas from where they can begin their story. Submitted stories will become part of the permanent collections of the HistoryMiami Museum and Cuban Heritage Collection and featured on both online platforms.
The Miami Stories Recording Booth allows the museum to capture audio stories at local events.
For more information about booking the Miami Stories Recording Booth, see the Recording Booth Information Sheet or contact us at miamistories@historymiami.org.
As part of the 2020 10 Days of Connection, HistoryMiami Museum invited South Florida residents to share a story about an item that reflects an aspect of their cultural identity and build a community exhibit. We continue to collect these stories and invite you to share yours. Either by yourself or accompanied by your loved ones, submit a video explaining how this object represents your cultural identity. Feel free to submit your story in the language of your choice.
Click here to access the Miami Stories Audio Archive
Imagine you are a 26-year-old girl who has just graduated from a teaching college in Minneapolis and arrived in Miami on Sept. 17, 1926, the day before an unexpected Category 4 hurricane! That was my mother, Lyla Waterbury Haynes, who moved here to take a teaching position. She… Read More
My brother and I left Cuba on Aug. 23, 1961. He was 15 and I was 16. We left our parents behind, not sure of when or if we would be together again. My mother later told me that on the trip back to our hometown of Florida in… Read More
The migration of my family from Cuba to Miami began in the 1800’s, possibly because of the Spanish-American War, which caused many people to leave Cuba for Florida. One set of great grandparents went to Tampa and another to Key West. My paternal grandfather, Jose Marcelino Garcia, was born… Read More
My dad, Mike Nola, came to this country from Lebanon in 1911 and peddled merchandise door-to-door along the Florida-Georgia border. He served in the Army during World War I, which earned him United States citizenship. After the war, he returned to Lebanon to marry my mother, Chafica Sawaya. Upon… Read More
We traveled to Miami Beach often, before deciding to move from Cuba for good. The motivation? My father rejected an influential Cuban politician’s demand to lead his Masonic lodge, and was kidnapped for it. After paying the ransom, we boarded a Pan Am flight, and landed in Miami in… Read More